Shadowknife

Description:

These very fine large knives [+2 damage] were forged from iron obtained from the core of a meteorite that fell to Yrth and enchanted with powerful shadow magic. The blades themselves are solid black and cold to the touch. The only four of these blades known to exist currently belong to Khalid al-Khayal, a mysterious leader in the Tredroyan Thieves Guild who is said to dabble in dark and necromantic magic.

Upon mental command of the owner, a shadowknife will fade away into nothingness and be virtually undetectable. It will also reappear at will. A perfect tool for a thief or assassin who needs to smuggle a weapon into a restricted area. This ability does cost the user enegy as per the Hide Object spell. Khalid hopes to make the shadowknives self-powered one day so that this ability can be used indefinately and at no effort to the owner.

The shadowknives will also instantly appear in their owner's grip whenever summoned, solidifying from shadow. Even after they have been thrown, the shadowkives will fade away as a shadow, only to appear in their owners hand, ready to be used again. It is rumoured that Khalid is capable of throwing all four shadowknives at an opponent in a single turn of combat, and be ready to use them again and agian.

Each time someone is wounded by a thrown shadowknife, they suffer unnatural wounds inficted by the shadowknives dark necromantic energy. Such wounds are very difficult to heal, as any natural recovery roll, healing skill (e.g. first aid) or healing spell must also succeed in a Quick Contest: skill-5 vs the Shadowknife's "stop healing" power of 15 or the attempt will fail.

The blade of a shadowknife will affect creatures of shadow as though they were solid. Only shadow creatures are affected, ghosts and other spirits still treat the shadowknives as they would any other enchanted weapon.

The shadowknives are also enchanted with other magic that increases their likelyhood of stricking an opponent, melting through whatever protection they may have and then deal greater damage. These enchantments tend to work better when the shadowknives are thrown at a target instead of during a melee.